Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson Your short film, When The Tar Leaks Red, draws on Greek mythology as well as having classic horror trappings. How do you describe the plot to a new audience? First of all, I'd like to thank you, Chris, for this opportunity, it is greatly appreciated. I love what you're doing with UK Film Review and I'm excited to see where it goes. ​When the Tar Leaks Red is a film about a woman's guilt over past actions and how this guilt manifests within her subconscious in the form of a sleep paralysis demon. As she struggles to fight back, she realises that her subconscious and her reality are closer linked than she knew. It's an intriguing premise. One of the things that struck me early on was the changing aspect ratio. I felt this was done to keep the audience guessing what was real and what wasn't. What were your intentions? ​As you said, the changing aspect ratio was to give the audience the feeling that the ongoing events were different to the calm reality seen prior. It was also to help portray the sensation of being closed-in and trapped, a feeling synonymous with sleep paralysis. A restriction that she is desperately trying to escape. It works really well. I also really loved the sound design - incredibly eerie and immersive. How pleased were you with the end result? I was really pleased with the end result, credit to my sound recordist/sound editor Javier Carles. We wanted to create a soundscape which felt surreal, rich with a dark ambience. It was important to assure that the few noises that we do hear within this film were vivid and fear-inducing. Often, it's these singular noises that penetrate the silence of nighttime that inspire the most dread. I wanted to emulate this feeling as much as possible. The make-up on the demon was incredible. Who was responsible for that and what was your guidance to them? ​The make-up was the efforts of two very talented, highly professional twin sisters called Sierra and Michelle Martin, the prior applying the actual make-up on the day but the three of us designed the beast with both the sisters procuring the necessary materials to see our vision realised. My specification was that the demon look like a reanimated corpse, abandoned in the ocean of the victim's mind (hence the wet look hair). I have a feature version of this script which adds more context to this. It was spectacular. In your notes to me, you mentioned the significance of the painting. I confess this was something completely missed by me on first viewing. What can you tell us about that? The artist of the painting, "The Nightmare", is a gentleman called Henry Fuseli, painted in the 18th century. It depicts an incubus (demon) sitting on the chest of a sleeping woman. Victims of sleep paralysis often mention the symptom of feeling like a weight is on their chest. Hence, the picture has often been interpreted to represent the helplessness that sleep paralysis imbues on its victims. I turned the picture around in my film to show the woman's will to shift the power dynamic of herself and her sleep paralysis demon, placing the sleeping woman at the top of the frame and the incubus beneath. I was fairly flippant with my review of the film during the festival podcast (again, sincere apologies for that). For me, the film required several viewings and also was better viewed at night. What are your wishes for audiences viewing your film? I think the dialogue at the beginning of the film is important to listen to as it provides the narrative/gives some context to the upcoming events. It's also quite a dark film, so I'd ask they don't watch it on a screen with glare. I also try to write/direct films with a level of ambiguity so that the audience can attach their own meaning to the events which occur, so I'd ask the viewer to try to extract something deeper from the piece. Why do you make movies? I make movies because, to me, it is the ultimate medium for conveying what sits within someone's heart as well as communicating all the weird and wonderful things that the mind can conjure. Film allows its viewers to transcend the parameters of their realities. Some of the strongest emotions I've ever felt, good or bad, has been brought about by great cinema. I want to contribute to the art form which has given so much to myself and many others. What are your plans next? I have a couple of #shortfilms that I'm looking to produce, write and direct in the near future. I also have a feature script for WTTLR that I'd love to see made. I'm just looking to keep on writing, create good work and see how it is received. Keep us posted, especially for the feature! Who would you love to work with and why? Despite him being another director and hence a collaboration potentially being diminishing to a piece (too many cooks and all of that), Christopher Nolan, to me, is as close to a flawless filmmaker as one can get. Each one of his films is so thoroughly thought out, the behemoth-scale narratives that he decides to pursue, so fearless. He is one of a kind and one of my favourite artists of all time. What would you say if you were a dolphin? "EeEeeeEEeeEeeeEEEeeeEe", probably. Read our When The Tar Leaks Read review. #ChrisOlson

★★★★ Directed and Written by: Bretten Hannam Starring: Phillip Lewitski, Joshua Odjick and Jordan Poole Film Review by Robert Stayte Cinema about Indigenous people has rarely been told from a Canadian perspective, nor have they been utilised for the coming of age genre (aside from some exceptions like Boy and Hunt for the Wilderpeople), as well as the queer romance genre. Along comes a debut feature from writer director Bretten Hannam that aims to explore this perspective and tell a grounded story within these genres. He succeeds with flying colours. In Nova Scotia, brothers Linc (Phillip Lewitski) and Travis (Avery Winters-Anthony) live with their abusive father in a trailer home. Once Linc finds evidence that his presumed dead mother might still be alive, he runs off with his brother to find her. Along the way he encounters fellow indigenous young man Pasmay (Joshua Odjick) and through him reconnects with his culture, finds romance, and has a lot of encounters on his journey. Wildhood is drawn from a somewhat familiar cloth of coming of age, hyper gritty and road trip cinema, but what makes it stand out are two noteworthy factors. Firstly, the tone is surprisingly optimistic and heartfelt, never getting too miserable and emphasising the strong emotional bond between these characters. Secondly, the Indigenous cultural aspect, which provides an undercurrent to Linc’s discovery of his mother’s past as well as his own. It also is told in a non-stereotypical fashion, as the representation of its largely indigenous cast is human and real. All of this is brought to life with remarkable cinematography and excellent acting. Whilst there are quite a lot of darkly lit sequences, the film always remains visually pleasing whilst still emphasising the realism. The slight handheld work and the beautiful natural scenery help create a lived-in environment. Acting wise, Phillip Lewitski gives a sometimes understated, sometimes intense and overall effecting performance, and Joshua Odjick matches him well. They are helped by the dialogue, which flows naturally and gets to the core of each character’s emotional state. The narrative is also worthy of praise, as it never goes in any outlandish directions, nor does it utilise its story for cheap sentiment. It explores its two young male leads and gives personality and motivation to both of them. It does not waste time on sequences that do not matter and whilst it does have a few too many scenes of the trio of boys running in the woods or near a lake, as well as including an ending that could have been shortened to be more impactful, the editing is still able to carry the viewer through their journey. Wildhood is an emotionally engaging and thoroughly well-crafted calling card for its writer/director as well as a long overdue step forward for Indigenous representation in cinema. Worthwhile for its grit and uplifting nature.

★★★★ Directed by: #ReggieYates Written by: #ReggieYates Starring: #ElliotEdusah #JordanPeters #RedaElazouar Film review by: Max White Pirates is the debut feature film from noughties television actor, presenter turned documentary/movie maker, Reggie Yates. He walks into Screen 6 at the Peckhamplex in South East London on Monday night and immediately he has the crowd on-side. Half the audience probably didn’t even know there was a post-screening Q&A. This isn’t a mob of loyal followers. But in a room mostly made up of mid to late 20 year olds, it’s all smiles and applause for him and the three stars of the film. Yates has appeared in everything from Grange Hill to The Bill, Top of the Pops and Doctor Who. He’s a face this audience has grown up with. He later turned his attention to more serious projects, documentaries about black lives in Australia, drug addiction and so on. He has a knack for storytelling and it’s his own story he’s telling in Pirates; his story and the story of the garage scene that raised him. Meet Cappo (Edusah), Two Tonne (Peters) and Kidda (Elazouar), the three members of the ICC (Ice Cold Crew), a London-based pirate radio station – but not that London-based pirate radio station. That one's Brentford, West London, while Yates' is in Islington, North East London. It’s where he grew up, and the characters in the story are, by his own admission, a mishmash of himself and the people he knocked around with back in the day. It’s the eve of the millennium and the three 18-year old friends are hatching a plan to celebrate New Year in style. Naturally, the road to get there is filled with love interests, tests of friendship and plenty of capers. It’s a celebration of the UK garage movement with tracks that thump you right back to the 90s. Numerous other details make it clear this is a period piece: Tamagotchi, flip phones, Moschino, an A-Z map. The film’s plot is as simple as the young mens’ interests, and that’s fine. We’re here to have fun, and if the way there runs straight, I doubt you’ll hear anyone complaining. Yates does a good job of bundling a group of young lads into a small yellow car – it's impossible not to think of The Inbetweeners – and careening them from disaster to disaster while keeping the gags sharp. The comedy’s clever and puts the cast to good use, particularly in Elazouar and Peters' physical performances. You just know that Yates saw promise in his young talent by the close-ups of their expressions and reactions, often meaning it’s their faces, not their words, that get the biggest laughs.

★★ Directed by: #BijanKarim Written by: #BijanKarim, #AldenDoyle Starring: #AldenDoyle, #AbigailMarkowitz Film Review by: Emily Davison A detached young man goes about his days contemplating his very existence and the meaning of life itself, much to the concern and support of his few friends. Drug Train (2020) chronicles the fictionalised psychedelic trips of our lead, Alberto (Doyle), a self-centred disturbed individual who struggles to enjoy life under the heavy weight of life and society’s expectations. The film was shot in October 2018 to February 2019, with Turkish born director/writer Bijan Karim having been involved with several shorts and features beforehand as actor, editor, writer and filmmaker. The movie opens with a nice rock and roll track, introducing us to Alberto, half naked, as he offhandedly dances to the music in his apartment. This opening establishes the strongest aspect of the film with its brilliant musical score, with many psychedelic tracks very reminiscent of the swinging 60s and the likes of The Doors, The Beatles and The Byrds establishing the oppressive dreamlike tone well. The film is shot in a mostly fly on the wall documentary format, with some handheld camera applied earlier on, with a slick pretty quality to the visuals, despite the mundane settings of an industrial city. The film does not have a conventional plot formula to follow, made up entirely of various characters discussing deep existential themes, with the centre of it all being the troubled Alberto. Unfortunately, this style of filmmaking will not be for everyone and the lack of a straightforward narrative with a rather lacklustre premise stretched out to two hours makes it difficult to maintain consistent engagement throughout. The documentary style does benefit from creating a grounded sense of tangibility to the film with characters feeling like anybody one would meet, speaking like real people, but the day to day life of Alberto and his friends just aren’t interesting enough to get us invested. Alberto is introduced as an intriguing lead, a young man clearly struggling from serious mental health issues and also appears to harbour aggressive defensive tendencies, yet his grapples with existentialism never really lifts off. The film meanders along at a painstakingly slow pace as we watch several versions of the same conversation with different people over and over again. Doyle gives a strong performance as Alberto, with a notable highlight of his character’s troubles coming to a head when he breaks down in the middle of a street towards the end of the movie; Doyle is very convincing with a poignant performance here. The film does have a sweet heart-warming ending of love amongst the madness of life, but it is not enough of a positive sentiment to justify the two hour slog that came before it. All in all, Drug Train does exactly what it says on the tin – it is a psychedelic trip down the rabbit hole with little substance and direction to actually keep things running high. #EmilyDavison Drug Train (2020) trailer:

By Chris Olson The rise (and inevitable fall) of online film festivals caused by the pandemic has been hard to navigate for all concerned. Film festivals don’t know whether to invest in a virtual offering if life will get back to normal. Filmmakers don’t want to give up the hope of having their films shown on the big screen but also don’t want to miss out on their crucial festival run. And attendees are perhaps saturated with watching films from home with the plethora of streaming services catering for their every need. So it was with some trepidation we launched our second online film festival. We are so happy we pushed through and kept on developing the UK Film Review Festival as an online event. We are really proud to have added to the services we provide our filmmakers and attendees, whilst taking on board lots of great feedback to keep improving year on year. What made the 2021 UK Film Review Festival so special was the enthusiasm of our filmmakers and the hard work of our film critics. This year we added a few new elements, such as a ticket share option for filmmakers, the ability to purchase tickets to individual films, and podcast reviews of all the films which featured. This was met with mixed results and we learned a lot of lessons on how to make these even better in 2022. But that’s not why you are here. Without further ado, here are the winners of the 2021 UK Film Review Festival. Best Drama Within - directed by Christopher Key Best Comedy Untitled Earth Sim 64 - directed by Jonathan Wilhelmsson Best Crime/Thriller Danny Boy - directed by Cory DeMeyers Best Documentary Her Stories - directed by Abd Al-Kader Habak Best Short Film Incident at School - directed by Jacob Thomas Pilgaard Best Feature Be Good or Be Gone - directed by Cathal Nally Best in Fest Another element we added to our 2021 online film festival was a cash prize for the best film in the festival. This year, we felt the film which stood out the most and provoked the most memorable reactions was Her Stories from filmmaker Abd Al-Kader Habak! A phenomenal documentary that deserves a lot of recognition. And that wraps this year’s UK Film Review Festival. It’s been a lot of work and a lot of fun, with some important lessons for us to keep improving. We hope to see you again next year. #ChrisOlson

★★★ Directed by: #RidleyScott Written by: #BeckyJohnston, #RobertoBentivegna and #SaraGayForden Starring: #LadyGaga, #AdamDriver, #AlPacino, #JeremyIrons, #JaredLeto and #SelmaHayek Film review by: Brian Penn The old argument of style over substance springs to mind when watching this latest effort from the erratic genius of director Ridley Scott. House of Gucci is a sumptuous study of family dynamics and the pursuit of glamour in an often grey world. That it was based on true events is extraordinary as it feels more like a storyline from 80s soap opera Dynasty. It tells the story of Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), a girl who marries into the Gucci fashion company. She fixates on Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) who soon falls for her charms, much to the annoyance of his father Rodolpho (Jeremy Irons). However, she finds an ally in Uncle Aldo (Al Pacino) who welcomes her with open arms. Patrizia quickly assimilates and takes a keen interest in the family business. The game changer arrives when Rodolpho dies and passes his shares in the company to Maurizio. A battle for control ensues with Aldo and duplicitous son Paolo (Jared Leto). Patrizia begins to scheme and manipulate as the Gucci family grows more dysfunctional. She enlists the help of mystic Pina (Selma Hayek) who sees truth in the cards. House of Gucci is an entertaining romp but suffers because their story is so well documented. Subsequently there are elements of the Titanic syndrome with no real surprises to be had. The majestic beauty of Lake Como and mountains of Gressoney-Saint-Jean are perfectly captured, and a banging soundtrack of 70s and 80s tunes keeps the narrative ticking over. But niggles remain as ragbag performances drag the film down. Al Pacino delivers an overcooked turn as Aldo and strays into Michael Corleone territory ('come to New York and join the family'). Similarly Jared Leto as Paolo turns the camp-o-meter up to 11 for no apparent reason. Other cast members offer functional support but leave the way open for the female lead. Lady Gaga is hugely charismatic and has a remarkable on screen presence. There is more than a hint of Sophia Loren as pure physicality takes over. With every film she makes her recording career seems less important. To say Lady Gaga is the best thing about this film may be seen as an indictment to some, but she carries it with relative ease. Is that not the true definition of star quality?

★★★★ Directed by: #MarkPluck Written by: #MarkPluck Starring: #FinlayRobertson, #IsabellaInchbald Short Film Review by: Emily Davison Set in a deserted train station, a husband is returning home from an illicit affair and must face the consequences of his carnal desires. Platform (2020) is the directorial debut of London based director/writer Mark Pluck and received its World Premiere at Grimmfest, followed up by screenings at Lund Fantastic and the British Horror Film Festival, where Pluck won the Rising Star Award. The short was filmed in East Sussex and depicts an eerie urban ghost story, with the familiar setting of a dark platform haunted by an ill-intentioned supernatural presence. We open on an unsettling scene of our unnamed lead (Robertson) being driven through a dark, foggy countryside road to the train station. Rupert Uzzell’s score shines here with a disturbing undertone heightening a sense of foreboding and impending dread, which escalates when we discover our lead is corresponding with another woman, instead of the wife and daughter waiting for him at home. Emily Uzzell’s creepy sound design heightens the immersive atmosphere created by Pluck’s sinister direction and visual aesthetic, effectively capturing the natural eeriness of finding oneself alone on a deserted train platform at night. The short is a slow burn horror which works very well in building suspense, as we learn of how the lead eventually plans to meet up with the young woman again and this decision will ultimately cost him everything. The appearance of another traveller, played by Isabella Inchbald, is more unsettling than comforting as she asks our lead from across the other side of the platform whether he has seen her boyfriend. Moments later, she is no where to be seen and only her bright pink suitcase remains. The warnings are subtly presented throughout until a final harrowing ending, orchestrated to perfection by Pluck and editor Janka Troeber, makes a sound impression of well executed, chilling horror. Mark’s inspiration for his short came from his own fear of train stations at night, making for a very fitting setting for a disturbing horror narrative. He is also fascinated by humans being able to live separate lives, with the one in the physical world and the other inside our heads, with his film depicting the idea of these two worlds colliding. The lead in his film is torn between his commitment to his family and the internalised raw feelings of lust for the young woman and guilt, however, his ultimate decision turns his night into a nightmare immediately. Platform is a thoroughly impressive short, with an effectively creepy tone and sense of foreboding throughout, established by promising direction and a riveting sound design. #EmilyDavison Platform (2020) trailer:

Filmmaker Interview by Emily Davison What compelled you to study cinematography abroad? Did you find it challenging or exciting to relocate from South Korea to the US to pursue a career in film? I actually started working in the film industry in the US first. I got to have some experience with South Korea’s film industry, but most of my experience and my career were gained in the US film industry. One of the biggest challenges I had in my early career was communication. When I started out as a foreigner in the U.S. and speaking English as a second language, it was really hard for me to understand what the director or cinematographer wanted. And hearing it through the earpiece made it even more challenging to understand. South Korean cinema has steadily been growing in popularity and critical success with the high standards of filmmaking and storytelling. Do you have a preference for South Korean movies or American movies – or both!? I do not have a preference for South Korean films or American films; I like both. Probably because I can understand both the culture and language of Korean and American films. Both cultures create good films and not-so-good films, but I’m a fan of the work itself, not which country a film has been made in. Was there a particular film or director who inspired your fascination with the Steadicam and would you be able to explain why you think they had a profound impact on you? My interest in Steadicam was sparked from an accumulation of various Steadicam shots in many films. It all started with my curiosity of how the filmmaker was able to do a particular shot and then in my research, I found out that it was done with a Steadicam. Films that I can think of off the top of my head would be: Kill Bill, Atonement, Rocky, The Shining, and Boogie Nights. Each film has legendary Steadicam shots. One of my favorite Steadicam shots that I always put on my top list is the shot in Atonement during the Dunkirk scene. The way the camera navigates through the devastation of Dunkirk with the actors, how it switches the POV, how it captures the actor’s emotions --everything about the shot was executed and captured astonishingly. Can you think of a movie or movies which sparked your interest in cinematography and the visual language of cinema? My interest in cinematography grew from years of being exposed to photographic images and cinema shared with me by my father when I was young. Do you have a favourite cinematographer? There are many cinematographers I like: Roger Deakins, Hoyte Van Hoytema, Linus Sandgren, Emmanuel Lubezki, Chung-hoon Chung, Rina Yang, Jon Chema and many more. There isn’t just one; the cinematography I gravitate toward is more about its setting in a particular film. That being said, I also appreciate the cinematography that my friends create. I have many talented friends and by working alongside them, I get to hear and understand their philosophy of cinematography. And I get to see and work on the film through their eyes. Ryan Kerr, Saulius Lukoševičius, Jiahao Zhang, and many other my friends are also on my list of favorite cinematographers. You have an impressive portfolio on your IMDB page and have worked on a variety of film genres, including short and indie movies. After working on numerous projects, have you got a personal favourite film from your collaborations? I like all the films I worked on, whether they are highly acclaimed or not, because I worked on them and I have an attachment to them. I put my best effort into all of them, and I was part of the filmmaking team. Some projects have good memories and some projects have bad memories. From bad memories, I learned lessons, and from good memories, I got to enjoy what I do with the good people around me. How do you choose which project you would like to work on? I choose the project based on who I am working with rather than what I am working on. For me, the people I am working with are more important than size, budget, or content of the shoot. There are still jobs I take not knowing anyone on set, but then I get to meet new people and get to know them. If there’s a situation where I get offered two different jobs that are overlapping, I choose to work for the people I worked with before. I think it’s important to surround myself with good people that I am comfortable with, and enjoy working with. On set, things can get very stressful; each crew carries their own responsibilities in their position. If I am with the people who support me, I want to support them. Regardless of how hard the job is, it can still be fun and valuable. According to your filmography, you have predominantly worked on short films. Do you have a preference for working on short movies as opposed to feature length productions? Also, do you have a favourite genre you enjoy working in? My job is more likely to be determined by who I am working with. I don’t create the shoot, therefore I am always in the position to get hired by cinematographers, directors, and producers that know me. For my personal preference, I really don’t mind any type of project or any genre; each has its own uniqueness. Do you find it difficult to find available work as a Cinematographer and/or Camera Operator? Have you ever faced challenges when working with others in the industry to put forward your artistic vision? I think it depends on the season and the time. If there are many productions going on and demands for the operator are high, then chances are that I will get more job offers from the people I’ve never worked with. If there are fewer productions, then it’s more likely I’ll get hired by people I've already worked with. If they don’t have jobs, that means that I don’t have jobs. About putting forward my artistic vision, as an operator I am an executor of the shot that the director and cinematographer desires. I believe it’s more important to fulfill the director/cinematographer’s artistic vision than mine. That doesn’t mean I work as a robot, only executing the shot that is requested. Every operator has a different background, different experiences and styles, and different visions and philosophies. And that shows through operating naturally. What would you say is the hardest part of your job? On the other hand, what do you consider to be the most rewarding aspect of your work? One of the hardest parts that I feel like as an operator is that I am the one who operates the camera and captures the performance of the talents. This means that I am the first one to see and capture, and how I do that has a direct impact on the image. What I see and what I capture is what the audience sees. On set, the whole crew including the director and the cinematographer are watching what I frame and how I operate. The most rewarding aspect of being a camera operator is that I get to witness, feel, and capture talents’ performances that’s happening right in front of me. As an operator, we are one of the people who works in close range of the talent, and through the camera’s viewfinder, we are the first ones to witness their performance. Then a great performance is happening right in front of me and I am witnessing it through the viewfinder, the feeling is priceless. Do you have any advice you would like to give to young aspiring Cinematographers and/or Camera Operators? I am still learning and growing as an operator ,but I can share one of the pieces of advice that my mentor Colin Anderson, SOC shared with me. He said. “You make your own luck by just being who you are.” The film industry is tough and it’s hard to navigate sometimes. There are constant worries about the uncertainty of jobs, creating relationships, figuring out politics on set, socializing, and developing your skills. I’ve often felt like I needed to be someone else to be at the place where I want to be. But rather than worrying about those things so much, I think it’s important to become who you truly are and act just the way you would like to be, rather than thinking too much about how others see you. There are always going to be people who like you and your work, and who see and understand your craftsmanship and passion. It’s important not to lose yourself and just be who you are, love and enjoy the life you have; good things will naturally come to you because you are being authentic. Do you have any upcoming projects you are currently working on and would like to share some details with us? I cannot share full detail, but I got offered a TV series pilot and a feature, and more opportunities are in line. Many of my friends are doing really well so I am hoping that I will get a chance to work with them on their upcoming projects. Have you ever considered working in any other country or have you settled down in the US? If I have a chance, I would love to work in the UK film industry. UK’s industry is one of the biggest in the world along with the U.S. film industry, and it has a very similar foundation for the camera operator’s position and its role. I love the vibe of the UK and it would be awesome to have a chance to work and live there. Finally, can you give us three of your favourite movies and briefly explain why you love them? It’s hard for me to choose what is my favorite film cause it always changes and there are just so many. So, I will just share films I enjoyed watching recently: No Time To Die, because Daniel Craig is my 007 and I thought the director Cary Joji Fukunaga did a great job finishing Daniel’s last Bond film. Dune, Greig Fraser did an amazing job immersing the audience in Dune’s universe with his cinematography; and the Netflix series Squid Game got huge hype worldwide, so if it gets you interested in Korean Series, I think it’s worth checking out. #EmilyDavison

★★★★★ Stars Directed by: #PhilipStevens Written by: #LauraTurner Starring: #HannahDouglas, #EmmettJScanlan, #SebastianDeSouza, #SarahWhitehouse, #JavedKhan Film Review by: Alicia Moore “England 1555. An isolated group of salt farmers arrange illegal passage to Europe for an Indian Gypsy family in hiding. But a love affair between Patience, a mute English girl, and Rumi, the son of the Egyptians, threatens to destroy both communities.” Lapwings are any of various ground-nesting birds akin to plovers and dotterels. They are noted for their slow, irregular wingbeats in flight and a shrill, wailing cry; they are associated with fierce protection, the health and growth of land and flock, and the power of communication... Lapwing is an intense watch even for those who aren’t necessarily pushed to such limits when observing grittier content. As an audience member, you join these characters unprepared for the mentally exhausting journey set in 16th century England - the placard emerging at the end of this trek reading something along the lines of ‘actions may speak louder than words.’ There are no weak points when it comes to acting in this film. All members of the cast showcase jaw-dropping talent; I’m wary about using the word ‘perfect’ here but it’s somewhat rare to find a cast in its entirety that can mesmerise viewers as much as Lapwing has proved it can. The overall concept of Lapwing is one of heavy subject, if you were to just explain it briefly to someone you would create a ripple effect of sorrow painted across each listener’s face. However, without the power behind the acting, watching the events unravel for an hour and a half might not have created the same effect, showing the importance of finding the right people to fit these roles. Without the strength of emotional potency and the cast’s attention to detail in their roles, I feel like reactions to the events would fall flat into a pit of distress and not much more. It would ultimately prevent the audience from being able to understand where they fit into the empathetic connection (or apathetic, depending on which character you focus on) attached to the twisted and torn individuals of the story. The performances are complex and spectacular; overwhelming to the point that it makes watching such brutal scenes almost beautiful in its own form. In particular, Hannah Douglas (Patience) and Emmett J. Scanlan (David,) both individually and working together in scenes, left me quite speechless with their performances and I have felt stunned for a few days now. I seem to only be able to speak in a long stream of positive adjectives when discussing them. Directly joining the conversation surrounding acting talent, it is obvious that director Philip Stevens was compatible with the cast in order to successfully present these characters in their best light, as well as deeply understanding the writing by Laura Turner and how the intensity of the script should be translated onscreen from a directorial perspective. All of these main elements of Lapwing flow together wonderfully, instinctively intertwining and helping the project to grow from its roots - just like that of a lapwing and its early symbolic meaning that it invokes the fertility, the rains and the health of flocks. Core elements of this nature in film carry themselves in the same way. Music by Lee Gretton creates a brilliant ambience from start to finish that runs alongside the depth of the story with a steady pace. Thanks to its strong beats and drawn out chords, the music is filled with the same mixture of fear, confusion, curiosity and sadness that the characters are wrapped up in throughout the time viewers spend with them. Whereas, the cinematography (Stewart MacGregor) creates a balanced contrast to both of these aspects of Lapwing; the wide landscapes and differing close-up shots are captured with simple precision, enhancing the immaculate vehemence that the rest of the film radiates. Does Lapwing have a very direct meaning or purpose to conclude with for an audience to immediately resonate with? I’m not sure it does. Lapwing allows you to interpret your own takeaway from the plot and its closing event instead. If you would like to immerse yourself in total cinematic talent then it is a great choice, but if you’re looking for something that brings you a sense of peace or motivation for your day through a significant meaning, then maybe continue your search and save this for another watching experience. See Lapwing in select cinemas and on demand from 26 November 2021.

Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson Lovely to speak with you. You have a new short documentary coming out, Hammers of Peace. How would you describe the plot to a new audience? The film displays an incredible and moving story that follows three members of the Grady family who took action for what they believed to be right. We get a glimpse of Ellen Grady's personal story and her connection to the Plowshares movement, meeting her partner Peter De Mott and raising a family amidst their abnormal life. The film was just released on IndiePix Unlimited. Why did you want to tell this story? I always want to shine a light on social issues with my films. I believe that as a filmmaker, you have the responsibility to not only entertain viewers but also to start conversations. Nuclear Disarmament and the movements around it are not as often discussed in the media as they should be. It was a story that I felt was incredibly emotional and not only shows the power of this family but also the power of a self-organized movement. What were the challenges in making the film? For the first time in a while, I was almost fully a one-man crew shooting the film, except for help for one interview by a friend. This was, of course, difficult, but I made it work through lots of hours of preparation and many months of editing. I did get a chance to collaborate with many people along the way such as the photographer who was nice enough to license an image for free. And of course, my excellent professor was there to help me throughout the entire process, along with Ellen providing me with great materials and being incredibly helpful. What has the reaction been like from audiences to Hammers of Peace? Or what do you hope it will be? During the film festival circuit of the film, we were shocked by the reception and praise it received. It did exactly what I hoped it would and started conversations and research on the topic by its viewers. We have been waiting for the film to be public and for everyone to be able to see it, and now that it finally happened, we are excited to see the public reaction. What's your plan for getting the film out there? I hope that people share it with others, word of mouth is so important - not just for the film, but for the social issue in general. Why do you make movies? I first started making movies at the age of 9. I saw my brother editing a graduation video, and I was blown away by the magic of video editing. I had the chance to work with private film teachers, I attended a certification course at the age of 14 and directed an Amazon Prime short in 2019. My intentions have always been the same: making a movie that reflects on real-life issues and makes viewers think deeper. What's next for you? I hope to continue working within documentary filmmaking. Next year I aim to work together with local New York City charities which has long been a goal of mine. What would you say if you were a dolphin? I'm going to try and do a bad guy dolphin whistle! Watch Hammers of Peace on Amazon Prime - Click Here. #ChrisOlson

★★★ Written and directed by: Jordan Tetewsky and Joshua Pikovsky Starring: Benjy Mello-Klein, Jeremy Wise, Avram Tetewsky Film review by: William Hemingway There's a lot to unpick in Jordan Tetewsky and Joshua Pikovsky's short, Sharon 66 but not an awful lot to hang onto to try and do that. In the brief ten minute runtime we are introduced to three almost nameless characters and are served a healthy dose of small town Americana, all of which seem faintly familiar and strangely reminiscent of some long-ago life we may all have lived. It's hard to pinpoint though, just where our feelings for the nostalgia evoked by this short film truly lie, as there is essentially not an awful lot going on. Our main character, who is name-checked once in passing, is Benjy (Mello-Klein) who seems to spend his time between his two only pals, Avram (Tetewsky) – an elderly gentleman who he sells drugs to, and Jeremy (Wise) – who he pretends to play music with. Both are also only name-checked once in passing and we only get to see their faces close-up briefly later on in the film. There seems to be a deliberate distance placed between the viewer and the characters as we watch them wander the streets and hills of their lonely, small American town, discussing the banalities of everyday life. There is no plot to speak of and the characters wander aimlessly as they riff off of their future dreams, which are the same as their past dreams, and which seem to constitute their whole understanding of existence in small town America. In this, Sharon 66 plays to the same gallery as Richard Linklater's 'Before' Trilogy where philosophising while walking is the order of the day and in-depth dialogue is used as a substitute for drama. There seems to be some sort of thematic reach for a discussion of the 'good life' or that of a 'true life' being lived for one's self, perhaps also harking back to a simpler time, or even just an earlier time, where somehow opportunities were missed and can now only be reflected upon. This also seems, however, to get lost in the soft-focus of it all, a deliberate fog of weed smoke that fills the air to offer an ethereal view of the proceedings, enhancing the distance between the characters and the viewer. The music provided by Holeminer (also Mello-Klein) beautifully captures this nostalgic distance as it intersperses the scenes and the dialogue, building a soft home-town feel to the proceedings. There is a definite parallel here between Sharon 66 and Beautiful Girls (1996), or even Grosse Point Blank (1997), where there lies this longing for things that have passed and a hope for reclamation or redemption in the present. All in all though, Sharon 66 doesn't offer enough in terms of access to the viewer. In trying to keep its nostalgic distance, which is essential to its theme and feel, it forgets to provide leads and ways in to its characters or its setting. There's no hint at what Sharon 66 pertains to (although Google confirms it to be the name of the small town) and there's no promise of an arc for the characters. As a short, piecemeal introduction it works well enough and the technical aspects of the film-making are truly accomplished, however it only feels like a small part of a bigger whole rather than a complete stand alone piece. It could be that this was what the film-makers were aiming to achieve all along, however the distance placed between them, their film, and the audience means we'll never really know. #WilliamHemingway

Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson, Amber Jackson, and Chris Buick Why/how did you decide to tell Elie Tahari's story? What was most inspiring to you as a filmmaker? I had the pleasure to meet Elie when I honoured him at the NY Sephardic Film Festival; I was passionate about his journey and thought that his unique story and the fashion world would be amazing to tell. I also love the era of Studio 54, from which Elie was part. I'm originally a "stage guy," and it was my first film. I have a signature on my stage work, and I wanted to bring it also on my movie. How important was it that you keep family at the centre of your documentary? It's part of Elie's life. He is very attached to these values, so they had to appear in the film. Given his status in the industry and the life he now has, we were struck by how down-to-earth, humble he remains to be. What were your impressions of Elie during your time with him? Were you surprised by that at all? I'm glad you're saying that because it's so true! I was not surprised because I had the honour to meet influential people, and I realized that the higher is a person (or artist), the friendlier and most accessible is a person. He is the kind of person that I try to look like every day. The way he treats people and is always available to everyone. Elie's story seems to be very much about the American Dream come true, I guess as we understand it to be and I felt that was something that was a very strong theme throughout this film. Was that something you were conscious of portraying or was that something that just came about organically through Elie's story? For sure, I knew it would be part of the film when I did the pre-production of the film. I always say that each person has their own equation; anything that happened to you makes who you are. I believe that if you remove America from Elie's story, you wouldn't have Elie Tahari, same without the refugee camp and the fact that he slept on Central Park's bench. Because America, especially New York, has something that makes you move mountains. Plus, all the people I interviewed in the movie (born U.S. citizens) have admired his American dream journey and story. He has contributed so much to the American culture and fashion world, and he has paid millions of taxes, donated to many charities, and created thousands of jobs, which needs to be reminded and acknowledged that his sole devotion and dream made it all happen. What do you think that people interested in pursuing a career in fashion will take away from your documentary? I hope they will understand that there is a story behind each piece of clothes and that it must always be told. What is the one overall message that people can expect to take home after watching The United States of Elie Tahari? That I'm a genius! Lol. In all seriousness, I feel these days people tend to judge any person over one single thing. I hope they'll understand that a person has a whole journey that must be respected and experienced. I wanted that film to also give to the audience many gifts. There is a masterclass and instructive and entertaining moments. Not to forget pure moments of fashion, without any comments, solely designed to admire the craftsmanship of Elie Tahari. What lessons do you think we as an audience can learn from Elie? And what lessons have you learned from him as a person and as a filmmaker? Never forget where you come from. God only sends you challenges that He knows you can overcome and become stronger. Elie said so many impact phrases that I wanted to print on a poster so people could really digest and implement them. His generous and elegant personality transpire in his clothing. I'm so honoured to have been able to do this film and so grateful for this opportunity. We are now writing his memoirs with so many more stories than you could ever think of! It also pays tribute to these people who left their native countries (often chased out) to start a new life in a new country without speaking a word of the language. I hope I'll become an Elie Tahari someday!